The Open Door
by NightlyBlueDemons
Summary: A decade after Stephanie Meanswell left Lazytown, she returns. What she didn't realise was the impact her return would have on her friends and a certain local 'slightly above average' hero! A SpotaSteph fic!


_Hi Everyone. This is my second Lazytown story, the first 'There's always a way' (please have a read if you're interested) was just a one shot about the beginnings of a Sportacus/Stephanie relationship. The relationship I developed in 'There's always a way' always felt a little too easy and quick. So, somewhat evilly, my writers brain wanted to make things a little difficult for my favourite Lazytown pairing, and so came this story. _

_As before, I own nothing, and Stephanie is of legal age in this story and Sportacus would never show any interest if she where not._

_I hope you enjoy and please review._

**Chapter 1**

'Stephanie, we're here' nudged Jamie-Lee Stevens as the coach they where riding in coasted to a stop. Sleepily the coach's occupants gathered their possessions and shuffled off, stumbling in the dark.

Stephanie Meanswell, throwing her heavy bag onto her shoulder, followed her friends and colleges into the atrium of the hotel that they had arrived in.

'Gather round everyone' beckoned the voice of the director, Anne Cussell.

'Right people, we're gonna do this thing in shifts. Crew, since the theatre is right next door. We're gonna unload now and prepare the basic set for tomorrow's rehearsal. As soon as that's up you're dismissed until 3pm tomorrow, for the post rehearsal changes. Cast, I want you all to check in, order room service and get straight to bed. I want you all in the theatre at 7am tomorrow warmed up and ready for a run-through. Any questions?'

When none were forthcoming Anne sent everyone on their way.

Sharing a smile of relief with the other dancers, Stephanie made her way up to the reception desk, checked in with her room-mate for the duration of their show's run and dragged her suitcase up to their room.

Stephanie didn't even bother with food, shrugging quickly into her comfortable pink pyjamas.

Sighing in relief when her head hit the pillow she smiled softly to herself.

After so long of being away she was finally back in Lazytown.

XOX

'Ouch' Stephanie whispered to herself as she begun her morning stretching, surrounded by her fellow dancers. Long coach journey's had never agreed with her muscles, and the journey from Boston to Lazytown had been over 600 miles.

Bending over she hugged her left leg and with small bounces stretched out her hamstring which felt particularly tight.

All around, her colleges were easing out similar aches and pains getting ready for their first show that night.

Stephanie was proud to return to her hometown. Especially since she was returning having fulfilled one of her dreams. She was currently touring with the show '_The Open Door'._It had already completed its run on Broadway and Stephanie had been asked to continue with it on tour. She was still in slight shock that she had been cast as one of the main characters.

She had been with the show since it's beginning, starting out as swing. Then, when a cast member had pulled out unexpectedly, she had been asked to step in. The director, Anne, had been so impressed she had won the part permanently.

That was over a year ago. The part she played, a young girl by the name of Lucie Kind, felt like a family member to her, she knew it so well.

When the tour had been announced and Lazytown listed as the third stopping off point she could barely contain her excitement.

She had called her Uncle and friend's immediately, and they had all promised to book tickets to the first showing. Since leaving Lazytown for college when she was 16 she hadn't been back. After five years of college and five of summer theatre groups, Stephanie had gone straight into a local show. She had progressed from there, show after show. Moving from chorus dancers, to swing and now finally to a 'real' part.

Somehow nine years had passed. Nine years since she had seen her childhood friends. She had kept in contact with them though. Speaking too or emailing Trixie at least once a month. Through Trixie she heard about life in Lazytown and how it changed.

It had been no real surprise to her when Trixie had started going out with Pixel, the signs had been there since they were teenagers. Pixel had been snapped up by a head-hunter when he was barely out of school, and now worked in the research and development office of a multinational computing company. Trixie had carried her tom-boyish nature into adulthood and now worked as the gym teacher at Lazytown's high school. Stephanie was sure she would be getting a wedding invitation in the mail very soon.

Ziggy, while not in as frequent contact with Stephanie as Pixel and Trixie, had seemed just as excited to see Stephanie return. His emailed reply had been so enthusiastic and sweet that Stephanie had a smile plastered on her face for hours after reading it.

He had followed his father and joined the family business. Since this was confectionary, it suited him fine. He spent nearly all his time at the business' premises, learning all he could. So much so that Stephanie normally emailed him instead of calling, knowing he would take at least a week to reply, purely because he was so busy. She didn't mind, she was just glad he was happy.

Stingy was the only one of the group of childhood friends that had moved on. He too had followed on with the family business. Only, for him, it wasn't the joy of his job that took him away, it was the money. As hard as his friends had tried, he had never shook the selfishness that had controlled his childhood.

The hotel chain he now managed was hugely successful and thus Stingy had become hugely wealthy. Stephanie had been sad to hear that he had left Lazytown, and sad that he hadn't been back either.

Her thoughts then took her to the next logical progression. Whenever she thought of her childhood there was one name never far from her lips; Sportacus. When she first went away she had, on occasion, written him letters on pretty pink paper.

At 16 she had harboured a crush on the slightly above average superhero. Perfectly natural, she reflected, at that age. He had protected her and taught her, and she (just going through the hormonal ravages of puberty) had begun to blush when he spoke to her.

She had not recognised it at first; unfortunately Trixie had and had teased her endlessly about it.

When she had received no response to the letters she had asked Trixie about it. Apologetically her friend had admitted that after an argument she had blurted Stephanie's secret out to Sportacus, whose crystal had gone off during the argument.

Overcome with embarrassment, Stephanie had not written again.

Weeks had turned to months, then months into years and all of a sudden it had been nearly a decade since Stephanie had spoken to Sportacus.

Thankfully, through the years that had passed her embarrassment and crush had faded. She was looking forward to seeing him again. Especially now she could greet him adult to adult.

XoX

'Hey Trix, have you heard from Stephanie yet?' Pixel asked his girlfriend of four years as he arrived home from work.

'Pinky text me this morning, but she's been in rehearsals all day. I don't think we're gonna be able to meet up till the meal tonight' she replied, pecking him on the lips as he divested himself of his gadgets.

Trixie had made it very clear when they had moved in together. The gadgets were to be taken off at the door and Pixel had discovered quickly that it was always a good idea to do what Trixie told him; she had always had a fearsome temper.

'You ready to go?' he asked as he made his way into their bedroom to quickly change.

'Yep, I'll just give Mayor Meanswell a call to let him know we're about to leave'

Ten minutes later they were on their way, having picked up the Mayor and Bessie.

'I'm so excited' rushed Milford from the back seat, 'It has been so long since I've seen Stephanie dance'

'Yes, my dear, not since her Graduation presentation' agreed his wife of ten years, Bessie.

Pulling up in the parking lot and making their way into the theatre, they where met by the sight of Ziggy already guarding their seats.

Moments before the curtain went up, a certain blue elf slipped into his seat at the end of the row, his usual uniform replaced by a smarter suit, with his crystal pinned to his lapel.

XoX

Sportacus had to admit, if only to himself, that he was somewhat nervous about seeing Stephanie again. It had been an uncomfortable moment to discover that a girl 17 years your junior had a crush on you. Especially a girl you had known since she was 8. He hadn't known what to do, except pull away.

As much as it pained him he ignored her letters when they came. It was not in his nature to be rude, and the wrench he felt when he saw her innocent descriptions of the world outside Lazytown only added to the discomfort.

He had been ashamed to admit he had been relieved when the letters had stopped.

When the Mayor had told him she was coming back, he had been happy. He estimated she was approaching her 25th birthday now. Time had passed. Things would be different. They would be less complicated.

That was what he had told himself as he walked into the theatre, sitting down alongside her friends and family. Everything would be easy now.

But, life has a funny way of not going how you plan it.

The moment Stephanie came on stage he knew he was ruined.

'_Why did she have to be so beautiful?_' he questioned himself.

XoX

The show was amazing, they all agreed afterwards. Stephanie had shone like a beacon on stage. Her pink hair only adding to the quirkiness of her character. When, towards the end of Act Two her character Lucie performed a solo ballad, it was sung with such emotion that it left her friends with tears in their eyes.

'Pinky' squealed Trixie as Stephanie emerged from backstage after the show.

Running the last metres, they laughed as they hugged each other. Stephanie quickly released Trixie, to embrace Pixel, Ziggy and her Uncle in turn. She turned without thinking a lunged at Sportacus next.

Stumbling back slightly, his arms involuntary slipped round her to steady them both. His nose was assaulted with her pink hair for a moment before she pulled back, the tops of her cheeks attempting to match her hair.

'Did you like it?' she asked the group.

They proceeded to enthuse about her performance and the show for the next ten minutes.

The only person who didn't speak was Sportacus. The moment she had hugged him, he had forgotten to breath. He hadn't been prepared for this. His foolish mind had been imagining the young girl he had last seen; the 16 year old Stephanie that had left Lazytown. He hadn't been ready for the woman that returned.

Watching her quietly as she laughed and chatted with her friends, he swallowed audibly. Her pink hair now hung long and wavy down her back, her body curved in the way a woman's should and she now stood just a few inches shorter than him. Her face, which had been round and youthful when he had last seen her, was now lean and shaped, highlighting her full lips and bright eyes.

She had always been pretty as a child, but now she was stunning. He wouldn't be surprised if every man in vicinity fell in love with her. Glancing back at the group, the look on Ziggy's face told him that there was already someone falling.

Hearing his name being called broke him from his thoughts.

'Are you coming round to Uncle Milford's for dinner?' questioned Stephanie, looking over at him hopefully.

'Yes, I was…' he paused, looking down as his crystal flashed.

'Sorry, I've got to go' he apologised.

Stephanie looked disappointed for a moment, before smiling at him.

'Don't worry about it, go'

Saying goodbye to the rest of the group, Sportacus ran from the theatre atrium and back-flipped off down the street.

XoX

'_Oh dear'_ Stephanie thought to herself as she bid goodnight to her Uncle, waving she walked down the front path. All her friends had already left after dinner at her Uncle's, she was the last to leave. It had been a brilliant evening, baring the few mishaps her Uncle had had in the kitchen. Nine years on and Milford Meanswell was still a hazard to himself.

It was getting late and Jamie-lee had text to say there was going to be rehearsal's for the dance numbers in the morning, so she should really get to bed.

One thing she had always loved about Lazytown, was that it was a compact city. You could walk everywhere. So turning onto the main street she made her way across the city back to the hotel.

The walk allowed her thoughts to turn to the incident earlier in the evening.

Hugging Sportacus as a woman was so different compared to when she was a child. He had been almost a surrogate father or elder brother figure. When she had hugged him then, she had felt safe, protected.

She hadn't been aware then of his smell, a musky scent that was distinctly male. Nor, the feel of his hard, strong body, as it wrapped around hers.

She had been quick to pull back, sure she was already blushing.

Cursing her body's reaction she had avoided eye contact until it was time to leave.

Pulling her coat tighter around her, she berated herself. She had thought she was over this. But seeing him again had ignited old feelings.

'Stephanie' a voice came from behind her, making her jump. Turning sharply, she saw that Sportacus was jogging towards her.

'Stephanie' he repeated as he caught up with her, back in his usual clothes.

'Is everything okay?' she asked as he stopped in front of her.

'Yes' he smiled, his accent thick, 'just a few children out of bed when they shouldn't be. They where frightened by some shadows and it set off my crystal'.

Clearing his throat awkwardly, he continued, 'sorry I didn't make dinner. Are you going back to your hotel?'

When she nodded he offered to walk her back, falling in step alongside her.

'_What do you say to someone you haven't seen in nine years?_' Stephanie's mind raced frantically.

'You were wonderful tonight' he said, breaking the silence.

'Thank you Sportacus' she replied earnestly, smiling up at his bashful face.

As they walked, the path they were following had taken them past the sports ground she had used to play in.

Flashing a grin at him, she jumped over the wall, and picked up a basketball that was sitting idle.

'Come play with me' she urged, beckoning him over.

Grinning in return he too vaulted the wall, with slightly more style than she had done, and approached her.

'You are not a child anymore Stephanie, I will not go easy on you' he grinned, his stance lowering as he prepared to mark her.

'Bring it on' she countered, bouncing the ball up and down. During the rare time the cast and crew had off from the show, they played basketball. They even had their own internal league (crew vs cast), meaning that in recent years Stephanie had become very good at it.

She ball bounced with steady control as she moved from side to side, teasing him into going in the wrong direction. Spinning round, with agility he hadn't been expecting, the ball had fallen through the hoop before he had a chance to blink.

'You're very good Stephanie' he said, blatantly impressed.

'I know' she smirked, pretending to indifferently examine her nails, 'again?'

'Thought you'd never ask'

He tried and failed to win the ball from her for the next 15 minutes. The awkwardness she had been feeling, melted away as they played.

'Okay, I give up' he said defeated.

'Noo!' she exclaimed in mock horror, 'the Sportacus I knew would never give up. Try again'

Not able to refuse her challenge, he moved to approach her again. Only this time, she was laughing madly; so much so that when she tried to dip out of his way, she stumbled. If he hadn't been standing so close she would have fallen.

Out of pure instinct his arms moved to grab her and they were suddenly pressed fully against each other.

'Oh' Stephanie breathed out involuntarily.

Her own hands were pressed against his chest, the basketball laying forgotten at their feet. She shivered as she became aware of his large hands grasping her, just above her hips.

Glancing up at him he had a 'dear in the headlights' look in his eyes.

She wasn't sure were the courage came from but all of a sudden she realised she was leaning up and into him. Sliding her hands up and around his neck, she brought his lips down to meet hers.

He froze almost immediately, his arms tightening in shock. Coaxing her lips across his, his posture softened and soon he was kissing her back with as much passion as she felt. His own hands sliding up her back, his left cupping her neck to him; the other tightening his grip on her waist.

In the haze she was experiencing she let herself go, leaning into him almost entirely. Snaking her fingers through his blonde hair she knocked his cap to the side.

The sound of the cap and goggles hitting the ground caused Sportacus to start. Breaking the kiss and looking down to where they had fallen he seemed to regain his senses.

Abruptly he pulled away.

'Stephanie…' he began, but not seeming to know what else to say, he broke off.

Embarrassed, Stephanie felt her face turn red.

When he turned to leave, she didn't stop him.

XoX

'You look awful Stephanie' was the first thing Trixie said when she met Stephanie the next day.

Sitting down opposite her in the coffee shop, she peered over at her friend in concern.

'I didn't sleep very well' admitted Stephanie. After Sportacus had effectively run away from her, she had sprinted back to the hotel. Ignoring the concern of her room-mate she had gone straight to bed. Only, she found that she couldn't sleep. She had tossed and turned for hours, her mind unconsciously going over every detail the kiss she had shared with Sportacus.

'How did your rehearsal go this morning?' she asked, after expressing her sympathy.

Stephanie happily talked about the show, thankful that Trixie hadn't asked why she hadn't slept well. She had decided to just ignore what had happened. Yes, the kiss had been more than enjoyable; it had been amazing. But she was leaving again in five days. There was still six months of touring ahead of her. Even after that there was no work for her in Lazytown. Her dreams had taken her to bigger cities.

Yes, she thought firmly as Trixie chattered to her, she would just forget it ever happened and then she could move on.

That plan worked well until the performance that night.

Halfway through act one she caught the glint of his crystal in the audience. For a brief moment the breath caught in her throat, causing her to stutter through her lines. Out the corner of her eye she saw the head of the director in the wings snap up.

What was he doing here? She had thought he was only coming to see the one show and yet, here he was again.

'What was that?' whispered Anne the director as the curtain went down on the first act.

'I'm sorry, it won't happen again' pleaded Stephanie. While their director had always treated her cast and crew well, she was a stickler for precision.

Rushing to her dressing room, she breathed a sigh of relief as her back pressed against the closed door.

He had been sitting close to the front, and when the light had flashed through his crystal she had caught his eye for a moment. He looked haggard. She had never seen him look like that. He had bags under his eyes and his hair was scruffy.

Shakily she quickly changed her costume, went to the bathroom and grabbed her bottle of water. She was silently sipping her drink in the wings when one of her colleges came up to her.

'Who is that guy?' Charlie White asked, as he approached.

'What guy?' he asked, her head snapping up.

'The one that made you mess up your lines' he smirked. If it had been any other day that smirk would have made her tell all. She had gone out with Charlie briefly a couple of years ago, while they were in a different show together. But, once they had gotten past the initial attraction and mutual interest of the show, there was nothing much there.

They had flitted around each other since, flirting and sharing the occasional kiss at parties, but nothing more.

'He's no-one' she replied, avoiding his eyes.

'Yeh, sure, whatever. This is your hometown, right?' when she nodded he continued, 'you're bound to have a few ex's floating around here'

'He's not an ex. I just knew him when I was a kid okay' she snapped, willing time to go faster and the floor manager to announce the interval was over.

'Jeez, defensive much. He looked at bit old for you anyway' he replied backing off at the glare she shot him.

'He's not too old!'

But he had already slipped down a corridor and didn't catch her reply. She was left to ponder what she had meant by that comment till the curtain went up for act two.

When it came to her ballad again, she willed herself not to glance at him during it. Challenging considering, she had next to no stage directions during it. It was just her on stage, singing to the audience. Anne had thought it best for the song, that there was nothing fancy going on during it. Just simple emotions.

But when she begun the bridge she couldn't look anywhere but him.

'_It was just something that happened one night,_

_And all through the fighting I have carried it with me._

_It was just something that happened one night,_

_And even if tonight is my end,_

_I can't stop that vain hope in my heart,_

_That somewhere you're out there,_

_Remembering that night, with me'_

And with the final note, her character turned, walking back into her world of war. The set lighting faded to black, hiding the tears that had begun to fall.

'That was brilliant' gushed Jamie-lee in a whisper as she exited into the wings, 'your best performance of the tour so far. I've never seen you sing it like that'

'Thanks' Stephanie smiled through her tears. In reality, she wasn't quite sure why she was crying.

That was the end of the show for her character, for which she was thankful. She felt emotionally drained, her thoughts centred on the slightly above average hero sitting in the audience.

After the final bow, she quickly got changed into jeans and pretty pink top, with pink pumps. Most of the cast were going out to a local bar to celebrate the end of their first month on tour.

The group were all laughing and talking raucously as they begun the walk to the bar, Stephanie alongside Jamie-lee and Charlie.

'Hey Step, isn't that the guy that isn't your ex?' Charlie questioned, pointing to a blue figure across the street.

Looking up, she saw he was right. Sportacus was standing in the playground were they had kissed the night before, his back to the sidewalk.

'I'll meet you there' Stephanie said in hurry, as she rushed across the street towards him. Ignoring the catcalls and cheering behind her, as the group watched her go.

At the noise, Sportacus turned around to see Stephanie rushing towards him.

He looked fearful as she approached him, a sight that worried her. He was a 'hero', he didn't get scared.

'You okay Sportacus?' she asked gently as she stopped in front of him. As she spoke her hand came out unconsciously to rest on his arm, the touch that he immediately flinched away from.

Looking down at her, his face looked tortured.

'Tell me what's wrong?' she asked, baffled as to what was causing him this much agony.

'What's wrong?' he echoed, finally finding his voice, before repeating again 'What's wrong?'

When she didn't speak, he did.

'What's wrong is I kissed you Stephanie!' he said, his voice breaking slightly, his accent thick, 'I'm disgusted at myself!'

'Urmm, if I remember correctly, it was me that kissed you' Stephanie couldn't help but reply.

'Bbbut' he stuttered in a way that was so unlike him, 'I feel like I've taken your innocence'

Stephanie snorted unattractively at his words, her hands flying up to her mouth in amusement.

'Sportacus' she said dryly when she'd calmed herself, 'my 'innocence' has already been taken. By Timothy O'Shea when I was seventeen'

He flinched at this, uncomfortable at the thought.

'We just kissed. We're both adults here, It's no big deal'

'We didn't 'just' anything Stephanie. I'm old enough to be your father!' he argued.

'Sportacus..' Stephanie almost whined, 'just stop. We can just forget it ever happened. I'm leaving again in four days and then you can go back to your life'

'And for the record' she added, 'I couldn't give a damn about your age. Unless, of course, you think you're too old to keep up with me…'

She left her last words open, turning as if to walk away.

When he caught her wrist she forced herself to re-press the smirk that was forming. He was a man after-all; so predictable.

Tugging her back round, he was kissing her before she even knew what was happening.

It was passionate like before, but this time it was desperate as well.

Stumbling backwards she winced when her back hit the tall playground wall. That wince turned to a moan as his entire form pressed up against hers. His lips bruised hungrily against hers, leaving only to follow her jaw line before settling in the hollow of her neck.

'Stephanie' he whispered, his accent lingering deliciously on the word.

As he nuzzled her neck, her hands slipped beneath his blue jacket, grasping the soft material underneath. Despite there being no measurable space between them, her hands still tugged him closer.

Making the decision for the both of them, Stephanie gently pushed him away.

'Where's your airship?' she asked, looking up at his slightly dazed face.

Instead of replying, he looked up.

'Ah' Stephanie grinned, as she looked up to see it moored above them.

'Only if you're sure' he uttered, looking as if he would break if she said no.

Clicking her fingers in a way she had seen him do a hundred times over, the rope ladder fell from the ship.

'Coming?' she questioned as she moved towards it.

He stared in shock for a moment, before he moved towards her in a quick fluid motion.

Grasping her round the waist with one arm, and the other grabbing the ladder he shouted 'up' to the ship.

Gliding upwards the ladder began to retract, pulling them up with it.

'That's new..' Stephanie smiled, her arms gripping him round his neck.

XoX

'Huh. Look at that' Charlie said to Jamie-lee, as they stood in the queue for the bar.

Looking in the direction he was pointing in Jamie-lee squinted at the sight of two blue and pink figures rising up to an airship above the city.

'Guess we won't be seeing her till morning then' she smirked.

XoX

_Well, I hope enjoyed the first chapter – now to start writing the next._

_(Since this show was originally for an American audience, I have tried to use Americanisms as much as possible, such as 'sidewalk', 'college'and 'mail', but if I have missed anything please let me know)._

_**Please review – I welcome constructive criticism.**_

_FYI – 'The Open Door' is a musical of my own invention. It only exists in my imagination._


End file.
